Universal Versatile Society’s Post

🌳 The world’s forests are in crisis, and despite promises from global leaders, we are still falling short. The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment, tracking progress on forest protection and restoration, has just been released. Key findings from the assessment, developed in collaboration with a coalition of civil society and research organizations – including researchers from Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS), ETH Zürich – highlight: ➡️ 6.37 million hectares of deforestation in 2023, showing the world is far off track to meet the 2030 deforestation targets. ➡️ 3.74 million hectares of primary tropical forest were lost – 38% above what’s needed to halt deforestation by 2030. ➡️ Boreal and temperate forests in North America and Europe are also being lost at alarming rates. ➡️ 1.4 million hectares of critical forested Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) – vital for species conservation – were cleared. The report evaluates global commitments, like the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration (2021) and Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework (2021), and their progress toward ending deforestation and degradation by 2030. Read the full report: https://go.ethz.ch/13 🌍 ETH Zürich #Sustainability #ClimateAction #ForestRestoration

At #COP16Colombia, Parties flagged capacity needs around #monitoring and #reporting on the UN Biodiversity #KMGBF. How can diverse stakeholders contribute to supporting Parties to improve monitoring efforts to track progress to address our biodiversity and climate crises? UNDP has co-authored a new study released in Nature Sustainability with colleagues at UNEP-WCMC, NORDECO - Nordic Agency for Development and Ecology, & Indigenous research centres to explore this question - I'm very honored to be a co-author. Through an assessment of 365 indicators in the KMGBF monitoring framework, we found that engagement of #IndigenousPeoples, local communities, and other citizen groups could: 🌿Improve the collection of 51 per cent of the data needed for monitoring progress on the KMGBF 🌿Support monitoring for the over 30 per cent of headline indicators in the Framework that require the use of spatial data in their calculation Learn more & share: https://go.undp.org/oag Jamison Ervin Di Zhang Midori Paxton Neville Ash Melissa de Kock Natasha Ali Andrew Gonzalez Jillian Campbell Jennifer McGowan Mahlodi Tau Christina Supples Leticia Cardozo Marion Marigo David Jensen Steven Ramage FRGS Yana Gevorgyan Terence Hay-Edie Nina Kantcheva Tushev Anna Giulia Medri Andrea Egan

Governments around the world have agreed to take urgent action. The goal is clear: halt and reverse the impacts of biodiversity loss and the climate crisis! At the current UN Biodiversity #COP16Colombia they are discussing the way forward. This briefing by WWF Plantlife International and Equilibrium Research explores why and how these ecosystems, and their carbon stores, should be more prominently recognised in NBSAPs as well as NDCs. Grasslands and savannahs ➡️ host unique biodiversity ➡️ are critically important for #climate storage and resilience ➡️ provide a huge range of ecosystem services The key recommendations on how to include them in country´s NBSAPs and NDCs: 🔍 1. Establish systematic mapping and monitoring ❌ 2. Assess key drivers of loss, decline, and degradation 🐄 3. Support indigenous people, local communities, farmers and herders to adopt #sustainable livestock grazing and management practices 🌴 4. Establish protection principles from inappropriate afforestation 🌱 5. Develop a programme of protection, sustainable management and restoration Find out more about the unique value of grasslands and savannahs 👉 https://lnkd.in/eAZfs773 Martina Fleckenstein Leonie Meier Nigel Dudley #saveoursavannahs #protectourgrasslands

Looks like some good weekend reading! 🤓 "Tracing the story behind loss and damage in ecosystems and biodiversity, this briefing looks at the role of consumption in global North countries, particularly in the context of colonial legacies and international trade and production practices, highlighting the disproportionate burden placed on vulnerable communities and the need to take action to address this." https://lnkd.in/dXKgeKHY

We are thrilled to announce the publication of our latest paper "𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀" in the journal 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺. Our research demonstrates that meeting the diverse demands on #EuropeanForests — such as the high demand for #WoodProducts, objectives for #NatureConservation, and #CarbonSequestration targets — will be extremely challenging to achieve simultaneously without additional measures. In particular, making #forests multi-functional and climate-resilient under these constraints will be especially difficult. Read it here 👉  https://lnkd.in/egj96qVQ By Konstantin Gregor, Christopher Reyer, Thomas A. Nagel, Annikki Mäkelä, Andreas Krause, Thomas Knoke, Anja Rammig

🌊 Join us for upcoming WebTalk: Exploring Ecological Realities for Conservation in the Bay of Bengal Region 🐠 Register here: https://lnkd.in/ge3yJ3yy 📅 Date: Wednesday, 22 May, 2024 🕛 Time: 1200-1330 (CET) | 1530-1700 (IST) The Bay of Bengal plays a pivotal role in maintaining the delicate ecological balance of our planet. Yet, it faces daunting challenges like habitat loss and rising sea temperatures, impacting fisheries and coastal communities. To address these challeneges, FNF South Asia and CPPR is organising this panel discussion. Our panel will delve into the imperative of integrating climate change adaptation into decision-making processes and emphasize the urgency of action to safeguard biodiversity and ensure coastal community resilience.

🌍 𝗕𝗮𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 (𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡), a program led by The World Bank with support from #Germany and #Sweden. PROGREEN aims to preserve ecosystem services in resilient production and conservation landscapes, focusing on: 🌱 Management of terrestrial #ecosystems 🌾 #Agriculture and #land management 🌍 Fighting environmental #degradation and #biodiversity loss   Our mandate with this evaluation: to assess progress, relevance and key lessons for maximizing PROGREEN's impact in the face of the growing challenges of climate change, #biodiversity and #deforestation.   🌳 Through this project, we are pleased to be contributing to the greater recognition of the immense potential of forests, woodlands and landscapes to address climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.   #HumanSustainableDevelopment #ClimateChange #SustainableManagement #Ecology #SustainableDevelopment #Environment

Earlier this week, UNESCO shared an alarming statistic: 90% of healthy soils could be lost by 2050.   Already, 75% of healthy soils are degraded, unable to properly support ecosystems, regulate the climate, produce food, or purify water.   Boomitra is driving soil restoration in the places that need it most: across the Global South, on farms and ranches that feed local communities. Our work is driving climate resilience while innovating a climate solution.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ggiB4hUm   Read more from UNESCO: https://lnkd.in/gURnErAP

Earlier today, Steven Guilbeault shared “Canada’s 2030 Nature Strategy: Halting and Reversing Biodiversity Loss in Canada” and Nature Accountability Act. If the newly proposed commitments are fully implemented — in partnership with Indigenous Nations, provinces and territories, and leaders in key productive sectors — they will help move Canada down the path towards protecting 30% of lands and waters, as well as halting and reversing biodiversity loss. More about what these announcements mean for nature and people: https://nature.ly/3XmuErx Government of Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada

Native seed is urgently needed to support biodiversity, climate resilience, and reconciliation. Our new report calls for investment in the native plant sector to build an ethical supply chain and meet the growing demand for native seeds and plants. The Economy of Hope: Growing Healthy Landscapes in the Greater Golden Horseshoe in Partnership with Native Plants maps out key challenges and opportunities in the native plant sector, providing 15 recommended actions to support the native plant economy. Check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/exdvf_JZ #EconomyOfHope #SouthernOntarioSeedStrategy #nativeplants #nativeseed